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Description of (1) OBJECTS OF SENSE
OBJECTS OF SENSE. 1. Purpose. (1) Point of View.—The purpose for which we de¬scribe an object should determine our point of view. This should be settled in the beginning. A description of the United States for a class in geography might make the actual position of the class the point of view, and proceed outward in straight lines or concentric circles. If we were describing the peculiarities of the country to a foreigner, we might select his entrance into an American harbor as the point of view, and then conduct him into the interior and across the continent. The point of view should not be shifted without warning. (2) Division.—Complex objects require systematic division, in order to be miderstood as a whole. The kind of division depends upon the purpose, taken in connection with the character of the object. A de¬scription of the earth's surface for a political purpose, divides according to national boundaries ; for a meteor¬ological purpose, according to zones ; for a purely geo¬graphical purpose, according to continents. 2 Unity. (1) °ram—Although a proper division is helpful to unity as well as important in its relation to purpose, the order in which the parts are considered is still more essential. The order will depend also upon the purpose of the description, but must be chosen chiefly with regard to unity. If a central and causative prin¬ciple can be found, it will assist unity to follow the operation of this. Thus, in describing the climates of the earth, it would be best to follow the apparent movements of the sun, beginning at the equator. An¬other means of securing unity is to follow the order of actual perception. In describing a distant mountain, for instance, unity would be promoted by mentioning the various phases of its appearance in the order in which they would occur to one approaching the mountain. (2) Fitness.—It is conducive to unity to hold con¬stantly iti mind the exact purpose of the description, as particulars are suggested, and to decide upon their fitness for the end in view. 3. Completeness. (1) Location.—One of the common violations of the law of completeness is the omission to fix the place of the object described. -A description of any thing ought to be introduced by information about the place where it is found. This is especially the case when the object is local.. (2) Inner 12.nalitles.—A description of an animal would be imperfect without some account of its in¬stincts and habits. The mere external form and size are the least interesting facts with regard to animals. Their sagacity, their modes of life, and their disposi¬tion toward man are essential to any complete account of them. (3) Time.—Every thing in nature is subject to change. A description is, therefore, unsatisfactory unless the time of the observation be given. We should know whether a plant or animal was young or old when the observer saw it. Even the posture, the time of day, the antecedent circumstances may be important. Travelers have variously described the chameleon, for its hue depends upon its own mood, the color of the objects about it, and even the temperature. In a certain sense all nature shares the qualities of this reptile. (4) Magnitude.—Misconception is likely to result Iron. a failure to note the magnitude of an object. When the size is unknown from obvious relations, it should always be in some way stated. 4. Brevity. (1) Comparisons.—Among the various means of complying with the law of brevity, comparison is use¬ful A happy simile or metaphor often presents a somewhat complex object in a single word. Novel views of familiar objects are thus brought to mind, and by stimulating the attention are helpful to the descrip¬tion. An American poet thus describes the sea¬shore :— " The curved strand Of cool gray sand Lies like a trickle by the sea." (2) Effects.—Another means of shortening the de¬scription is to describe the effect upon the mind, and leave the fancy to fill out the picture. (3) Contrast. —Some objects may be described by contrasting them with well known opposites. This is generally productive of brevity, but care is necessary to avoid obscurity. We cannot always determine what an object is like from a knowledge of what it is not like. Fixed Classes.—Many objects may be suffi¬ciently described by being referred to certain fixed classes. The botanist, for example, needs only the genus and species of a plant in order to know its char¬acter. Only the leading characteristics of a mineral are necessary to describe it for a mineralogist. This, however, is properly classification, rather than descrip¬tion in its common sense.